 maths. Is my business is portfolio question, first question, Claudia Beamish please. The Scottish Government, what it is doing to move freight off roads on Coral in light of it declaring a climate emergency. Cabinet Secretary, Michael Matt. Our approach to supporting rail freight is outlined in our rail freight strategy, strengthened by new network rail targets to grow rail freight and backed by past and current investment, including a new £25 million control period six Scottish strategic rail freight fund and our word shift grant system. In addition, our draft national transport strategy, which will set out the future direction of transport, reflects the declaration of the global climate emergency with climate change action identified as a priority. It will also reiterate the role of transport in helping to deliver the 2045 net zero target. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. However, in the eclair committee evidence at stage 2 of the climate change bill, the freight transport association stated, at best we could get to 5 per cent of freight off trucks and on to rail. This is very concerning and the Scottish Government does indeed fund a great deal more road projects than rail, further marginalising rail freight. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that balance funding is required for better targeting of small freight facilities grants, longer rail overtaking loops, restoration of double track, diversionary tracks, gauge clearance and electrification, to name a few? That was quite a lot, but never mind, cabinet secretary. We undertake a concern of work, as I have just outlined, in order to encourage freight. However, I do not know if it is now official Labour party policy to cut the roads budget in order to transfer that into rail instead. However, over the course of the—I suspect, in some of the later questions, people will be asking me for making more investment into roads as well. The £25 million that I announced a few weeks ago is a key part of helping to support the industry to move, to make the modal shift from road into rail freight in order to assist that. We will continue to work with them in achieving that. We have also set out very ambitious targets for Network Rail to ensure that it is driving it forward in a way that sees more going into rail freight. We will continue to do everything that we can to encourage commercial businesses to make use of the rail freight options that are available to them, as we work with the rail freight industry in making sure that it is an attractive proposition for businesses to use. The cabinet secretary will be aware that Pressure Airport is very well connected via rail, and a huge amount of cargo goes through the airport and inevitably on to the road. Can I ask what the Government is doing to look at better utilising that rail capacity, and specifically the Falklands junction, which is an underused section of railway at the moment, which could help to provide that modal shift that we need? It is a commercial decision that they make. We provide funding to help to support them in making that transition. There are several key areas in which we know that there is a possibility of increasing freight, particularly in the area of timber, and we have been taking forward work with the industry to try to encourage them to do that. My colleague Fergus Ewing chaired a meeting in London with those in the rail freight industry. We transport Scotland officials and also within the forestry industry to look at how we can create greater connections in those areas. Ultimately, it is a commercial decision that is made by companies on choosing to use rail freight rather than road freight. We try to make it as attractive as possible, but ultimately it will be a commercial decision that companies will make. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the strategic transport projects review. The second strategic transport project review is progressing on schedule, as part of the evidence gathering stage. Transport Scotland has successfully established 11 regional transport working groups. Those groups demonstrated the collaborative approach being taken by the review and that more than 30 stakeholder workshops have been or will be held across the country. That also follows publication of the Borders Transport Corridor study on 5 March, and the South West Scotland transport study, which I am pleased to confirm, will be published in draft format by the end of this month. In addition, there will be an opportunity for put members of the public to have their input later this year. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and I look forward to reading the draft plan for the south west. The SNP manifesto commits the Government to better link Dumfries to Scotland's central belt on the motorway and to improvements in the A75. Can the cabinet secretary indicate how that commitment will be reflected in the STPR? As I just mentioned, the South West Scotland transport study will be published in draft by the end of this month. Part of the work that it has been undertaking is a detailed assessment of options to link Dumfries to key markets, including to the central belt. The emerging findings from that will then feed into the STPR to process and will ensure that it is considered alongside all the other options that are being considered. However, I can give an assurance to the member that that is one of the areas that has been considered as part of the study. Can the cabinet secretary confirm that the A737 will be included in the strategic transport project review, given that it now takes some 8 million vehicles a year, is becoming increasingly congested and needs significant investment from the manorhead roundabout to the B787 and for the newly opened Del Rai bypass to Co-winning? The recently opened Del Rai bypass, which Kenny Gibson joined me on just the other week alongside improvements to the current work that is being constructed, is the den realignment and the design work that is currently being taken forward around improvements on the A737. At both, there are all key commitments for the Scottish Government in order to make sure that we invest in the A737 in order to support the North Ayrshire economy and North Ayrshire communities. I can also reassure the member that the A737 forms part of the trunk road network and that it will be included in our consideration for the strategic transport project review, too. Ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the level of ScotRail services in the Glasgow area. Further to the answer that I provided to the member at the chamber on 9 May, more than nine out of 10 trains now run on time. In the Glasgow area, the Donovan recommendations for a right time departure at Mulgai from December 2018 timetable has seen a PPM improvement across the wider Strathclyde electrics network during the peak period 9 before the new December timetable saw PPM at 73.3 per cent and the latest period 2 PPM is now at 89.9 per cent, a clear mark on improvement. However, there is more work to be done and on-going delivery of the recommendations from Donovan and the remedial plan will support further improvements in the Glasgow area. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. However, the answer that he is giving does not stack up with the experience of passengers in the Rutherglen area, where 43 per cent of trains according to the latest statistics are not turning up on time. Cabinet secretary, it is simply not good enough that people are being let down by the ScotRail services. Can I ask the cabinet secretary if we will apologise to passengers for the appalling level of service and agree that it is time to call time on the Abellio contract, terminate it and introduce a contract process that puts it into public hands? Cabinet secretary, the figures that I gave them are factual information in terms of PPM, which is recorded, which is standard right across the industry. Alongside that, the member will also understand that some 60 per cent of all delays and cancellations that we have in the network are out of infrastructure failures, which are the responsibility of network rail, which we believe should be accountable and responsible to this Parliament, rather than to the UK Parliament, so that we can address those issues much more effectively. That is some of the key work that has been taken forward around the Donovan review in order to do so. However, what the member can be assured of is that we will continue to do everything that we can to improve services, including on the Rutherglen line, and to make sure that network rail is taking forward the measures that are necessary so that we get greater reliability on our network. I do hope that a Labour Party will get behind us and call for the devolution of network rail to this Parliament, while the Williams review is considerably matter in order to deal with those issues much more effectively here in this Parliament. Does the minister not agree that one thing that would certainly improve ScotRail services in Glasgow is a rail link to the airport? Can he explain why the SNP has cancelled this project again? I am sure that the member was here during the course of my statement on this matter, and what I said on that occasion still stands. Question 4, John Scott. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the road network in South Ayrshire. The Government recognises the importance of the trunk road network in South Ayrshire. Since 2007-08, the Government has invested more than £66 million in the maintenance of the A77 and a further £44 million in the maintenance of the A78. In addition to the above maintenance improvements, work is under way on site as part of the £29 million construction contract for the much-needed A77 Mabel bypass. The project will generate significant benefits for local communities and for those travelling from further afield to our key ports and beyond. The new bypass, which is expected to open in summer 2021, will separate local and strategic traffic, relieving congestion in the town and improving safety and journey time reliability on the A77. John Scott, many thanks. A decade ago, plans were considered as part of the Scottish Government's strategic transport projects review to upgrade the A77 around Ayr from single to dual carriageway and grade separate the Dutch house, Whitlets and Holmson roundabouts. It was forecast that those improvements would cut levels of congestion and could result in an accident rate reduction up to 50 per cent, with no action having been taken on those proposals over the last decade. Will the minister commit to taking them forward now? I am more than happy to give consideration to those issues, but, as a member, we know that we are now into the process of STPR2. Projects that have not been taken forward in that particular programme will be considered as part of STPR2 as well. There is an opportunity for us to consider that as part of the wider work that has been undertaken under the review process at the present time. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve services for East Renfrewshire train passengers using the East Kilbride line. From this May, ScotRail now provides 1,000 extra seats daily on East Kilbride services, benefiting passengers at Busbay, Clarkston, Giffnock and Thornelly bank. However, existing infrastructure constraints the constraints of length, speed and frequency of trains, so we have allocated up to £24.8 million to ScotRail to develop designs for more capacity and carbon-free journeys. That development over approximately 18 months will identify the right long-term solution, including the option for electrification. Work will focus on providing enhanced connectivity, improved accessibility to stations, better transport integration with improved park and ride facilities and active travel provision. I recently met with ScotRail and passengers at Thornelly bank station to discuss issues like overcrowding on the East Kilbride line. A number of passengers asked about the Scottish Government's long-term plans for investment in the rail line. Further to the announcement of £25 million is to be made available for the hands. Can the minister explain what exactly those enhancements will be? Specifically, can he clarify whether the Scottish Government is fully committed to the electrification enhancement proposals for the East Kilbride line set out in Network Rail's route study? The work that we have now commissioned Network Rail to undertake on the East Kilbride line is to consider issues such as double tracking, extending the length of the platforms, electrification and improvement to stations in order to make sure that we can provide greater capacity on that particular line. I will also recall that that was one of the key lines that would have been affected had we gone ahead with the Glasgow airport rail line, because it would have reduced capacity to extend on the East Kilbride line. One of the issues that I highlighted was the potential negative impact it would have on extending and increasing capacity on the East Kilbride line. No doubt that slipped the member's mind when he was calling for Garrol at that particular point. That is why we need to make sure that we take a balanced approach so that the investments that we are making in rail in this coming five-year period will be some £4.8 billion to make sure that we get the infrastructure right, not only for people in Renfusure and Glasgow, but also on East Kilbride as well. If constituents who live in East Renfusure can the cabinet secretary update the Parliament on what action has been taken to improve capacity in both the Neilstone line and the Barhead line and disagree that electrification of the Barhead line is an important future objective? Since May 3000 extra seats have been made available on the Barhead services and there are now more longer four and six carriage electric trains on the Neilstone service. In developing our current pipeline of projects, we are fully committed to considering capacity increases on the rail network, together with electrification and other sustainable rolling stock options. The need to provide decarmerised transport is a key priority for the Government in taking forward its climate change challenge. Both the Neilstone and Barhead lines will be considered for further improvements alongside the other competing interests on our rail network. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of first group. Scottish Government officials last met representatives of first group on 4 June. The cabinet secretary will be aware of the significant plans by first group, which include pursuing strategic options through the sale of or other means to separate first bus from first group. Can you therefore ask the minister what input the Scottish Government will have to those plans, after all, in my constituency throughout Scotland? First bus is the first port of call, if you may say. Cabinet Secretary. We have been provided by reassurance from first bus that services and existing investment plans will continue as normal while the future of the bus business is decided. First bus has undertaken to keep us informed of any developments and has said that it will work with its employees and the unions to explain their plans and their implications. I assure the member that we will continue to engage with first bus around this matter until they reach a point where they have clarity on what their future plans are and to continue to impress on them the importance of continuing with services at the present time. Cabinet Secretary, I agree that the sale of first bus offers an ideal opportunity for councils that want to run their own bus services, such as Aberdeen City Council, and will the Government support that? It does, Presiding Officer, and the amendment that was passed in the committee today, which is amendment 68, to take the low-vim bus scheme, which was supported by the Labour Party, is one that I welcome, which will allow them to be able to do so. Thank you, Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve safety on the A77. We are committed to improving safety on our trunk road, including the A77. We have invested over £66 million on the A77 since 2007 to ensure that it is safe and efficient operation. Our annual assessment of trunk road safety performance has identified the A751 junction between Hobson and Sandiford toll roundabouts for further investigation this financial year. We have delivered passive safety chevrons at the Monctonhead roundabout, safety speed management measures south of air to Ballantree and are progressing a speed limit reduction of 40mph on this location. We are completing road safety investigation works on the Monctonhead dutch house roundabout section at the present time. I appreciate the cabinet secretary taking the time to meet my constituent Colin Price and I to discuss his campaign to close the gap in safety camera coverage on the A77 following the death of his wife to a collision with a boy racer. However, given the fact that much of the 32-mile safety camera stretch of the A77 was judged by the same criteria as the two-mile gap, and has similar measurement against that criteria, is not the time that common sense prevailed in that gap that was filled in? I recognise the work that Mr Whittle has undertaken along with Mr Price following the tragic death of his wife on this particular section of the road. As I gave an undertaking to Mr Price at the time when I met him, we would undertake a further speed safety audit on that particular section of the road and we would also consider the revised criteria for the installation of safety cameras. He will be aware that the outcome of that has indicated that it does not meet that national criteria. However, what we have sought to do is to consider whether there are further measures that can be introduced in the area, including working with Police Scotland, who we know are undertaking targeted enforcement action within this particular route. I can assure the member that, when we consider those issues, applying the national criteria is one of the important elements that needs to be taken into account in determining whether the safety cameras that have been deployed in a particular area will maximise the potential benefits that will come from them. That is the approach that has been taken for all of the average speed camera systems that are installed across the trunk road network and will continue to be the case going forward. However, we will always consider whether there are individual cases where there are measures that we can further introduce to address issues on particular sections of the road, and that will remain the case in this instance. However, as the national criteria has been applied to it following the further survey, it does not meet the criteria for further average speed cameras to be installed. To ask the Scottish Government how many people have used the Alwa Stilling Rail service since it opened in 2008. The total number of passengers travelling between Alwa and Stilling since its opening is estimated to be 4,194,574 up until 31 March 2019. Passengers using the route can now benefit from Scottish Government's significant investment in electrification of the line. That has enabled the introduction of new electric rolling stock, and the recent timetable change delivered 4,000 additional weekday seats for passengers using the Edinburgh Glasgow Stilling Alwa Dumblane routes. Keith Brown I thank the cabinet secretary for his reply, and I am sure that he will agree with me that the success of the service has surpassed all expectations. However, can he confirm in light of the interest from Talgo in the Longannate site, if any discussions have taken place about extending the passenger service from Alaw at eastward? There is no doubt that the line has been extremely successful and has surpassed expectations. As a member will be aware, we have been directly engaged with Talgo on their potential development at the Longannate site. Since they made their announcement that the Longannate site was their preferred option, we have been working with them on the development of a factory at that site, which could create up to 1,000 jobs. One of the options that I have asked Transport Scotland and Network Rail to consider is how we can maximise the rail connectivity to the site, which includes the option of extending the existing passenger route east of Alaw, and to look at electrification of that line further to the Longannate site, and potentially beyond into Dumferland, if that proves to be appropriate. That concludes questions on transport. We will move on to the next set of portfolio questions, justice and law officers. Whenever you are settled, Mr Corry, we will wait with bated breath. Deputy Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that Police Scotland is accessing the necessary skills and resources to keep our communities safe. Recorded crime has fallen by 42 per cent since 2006-07. Non-sexual crimes of violence have fallen by 49 per cent. The recruitment, training and deployment of police officers is a matter for the chief constable. The police officer quarterly strengthened data as of 31 March. This year, it showed that there were 17,251 police officers in Scotland, and that is an increase of more than 1,000 police officers from the position that we inherited in 2007. That obviously contrasts with a decrease of almost 20,000 in the same time period in England and Wales. All police officers and staff are highly trained through their dedicated service day in and day out to keep all of our communities safe. It is a responsibility, obviously, of the SPA, to allocate resources to Police Scotland. The Scottish Government is protecting the police resource budget in real terms, and we have given an uplift in the capital budget by 52 per cent. I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. We know that the number of special constables in Scotland has more than halved since the creation of Police Scotland. Those officers have been described by Police Scotland as vital, undertaking high-visibility work such as patrolling, being as seconded to specialist teams such as road policing and CID. I have been saying for a long time in the chamber that there is more to be done to exploit the valuable experience of our armed forces veterans and providing better routes for them into policing. Will the cabinet secretary recognise the enormous capacity that our communities have lost since 2013? Will he commit to looking at the issue in more detail? I do not disagree with the general thrust of his question, which is the value of the work that special constables do. I know that from a personal point of view. My cousin is a police officer at the moment with Police Scotland, but he started his police career as a special constable. I know the value that special constables absolutely play from my personal point of view, as well as a professional point of view, but he will forgive me. It is really important that I restate that those matters are operational for the chief constable. It would be more appropriate for Maurice Claw to take those issues up with Police Scotland directly, if he wishes. After this session, I will write to him with the contact details of the person who is most appropriate, but not to take away from the general tenor of his question. I absolutely value the work that special constables do as part of the police family. I thank the pressure from the Scottish Government. Police Scotland will now benefit from being able to claim VAT for around £25 million a year, previously paid to the UK Government. Will the cabinet secretary confirm that the Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government for a refund of the £125 million that was paid by Police Scotland in VAT between 2013 and 2018? Yes, it was, of course. The Scottish Government led the pressure that the UK Government had to see that it was treating, and to understand that it was treating Scottish forces unfavourably and unfairly in comparison to the forces in England and Wales. Having considered the argument, it would not put the money necessarily where the mouth is, with £125 million still to be refunded, which would be taken away in VAT to Police Scotland. Of course, £50 million was paid by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, as well. Every time that a Conservative talks to me about increasing the budget for Police Scotland, it would be nice if it wrote to the Treasury and asked for our money back. To the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working with the SPS to review the prison estate in Glasgow. The Scottish Government and Scottish Prison Service are committed to modernising and improving our prison estate. The current priorities are development of the new female estate, a replacement for HMP Barlinny and then HMP Highland. The Scottish Government has allocated funds to the Scottish Prison Service to allow them to begin the site acquisition process for a replacement of HMP Barlinny. Site searches began in 2014. A suitable site has been identified in Proven Mill. The planning process has begun and the first public information event was held last week on Wednesday 5 June. Bob Doris? Cabinet Secretary, a second pre-consultation event will take place on 3 July for the proposed HMP Barlinny replacement with a view for planning permission and principle to be lodged by the end of the month and a final decision by Christmas. A tight process for such a major development. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that the SPS must continue to engage extensively with local communities such as Jernison in my constituency throughout that period? Given that the site has in part been selected due to its transportation hub potential, the SPS, Glasgow City Council and others must actively look at better public transport links for Jernison and the Royston Corridor more generally irrespective of whether planning permission is granted. There is a really important point raised by Bob Doris. I know that he has had conversations with the Scottish Prison Service already on this issue. I know that he will continue to engage as the process moves on, but he is absolutely right that transport links are vital for any prison. We know that that family contact and that contact to services is hugely important when it comes to potential rehabilitation of prisoners, so he is absolutely right about that. As well as the usual planning process, the member will probably be aware that, as with any planning application, it is anticipated that there would be a travel plan as well as a traffic impact analysis that will form part of that application, so that will be a part of the conversation as we progress. Yes, I do believe that that issue should be looked at, particularly important and vital for any prison, but particularly, I would say, for a prison that will be the size of the replacement HMP Barlinnie. I would like to welcome the replacement of Barlinnie prison long overdue. Recently, it was operating at 140 per cent capacity. That is our regular occurrence. If the cabinet secretary first of all could inform Parliament whether or not the new build will solve and remain the problem of capacity and whether he is able to tell me now or later the extent of double bunking in Barlinnie prison. I thank Pauline McNeill for a very important question. I do not think that I have had the chance to welcome her to justice questions or, indeed, that I do not know if she is permanently in that position, but I know that she is taking over until the recess begins. I welcome her interests in all matters, justice-related, that I know that she has had a long-standing interest in. On the question, which is hugely important, we are not planning to build a replacement for Barlinnie that is sometimes quoted in the press as a super-jail. That would be the wrong thing for us to do. We cannot build a way out of the prison population problem that we have. There is a whole raft of reasons why that prison population is as high as it is. One of the factors undoubtedly has been some of the changes in home detention curfew made on the back of the two important reviews that took place after that tragic murder of Craig McClellan, but the numbers are being very drastic. We have to tackle all the various factors around why that prison population is so high. Forgive me, I do not have the number in terms of double-bunking. In front of me, I will endeavour to get it to her, but as I said yesterday in front of the Justice Committee, the high prison population and the fact that it is trajectory is increasing. The fact that we have the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe and the third highest correctional rate is frankly sustained in our conscience and very much goes against the very progressive country that we are and we want to be. I will be happy to furnish Pauline McNeill with the details of the exact figures that she wishes. If she would like a more detailed conversation around how to reduce that prison population, I would be delighted to have that conversation. Can I just gently say a good answer but a long answer? I would like a shorter answer, so everybody gets chipped in. Question 4, Bruce Crawford, please. To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have been funded by the Cashback for Communities programme in Stirling since 2008. Between 2008 and 2018, the Cashback for Communities programme has invested over £1.5 million in the Stirling area, delivering over 62,000 activities to support young people into positive destinations. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and very much welcome the scheme that we invest criminal assets back into communities. Can I ask how the Scottish Government will ensure that the next stage of the Cashback programme will focus on projects that support young people and communities most affected by crime? That was pretty short. I was about to compliment you, but you have really ruined it for yourself now. There is no point in complimenting yourself. It undercuts it. Cabinet secretary. I will never want to compliment myself. I will leave that to other people. Bruce Crawford touched on a really important point, particularly on the last point in his question. I think that it is hugely important. I have had very good discussions with those partners that are involved in Cashback that have operated in our communities, and often in some of the most deprived communities, because it is absolutely essential that every phase of Cashback may improve upon the last phase. We will be targeting, when it comes to phase 5, of Cashback targeting that money back into the communities that have been so blighted by serious and organised crime. Details of that programme will be available, and I will be delighted to share that with Bruce Crawford. Fybro de Grant To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide facilities for female prisoners in the Highlands in light of the plans for the new Inverness prison being shelved until 2023. In June 2015, my predecessor announced ambitious plans for the future of the female custodial estate. Those plans include a new 80-place national facility to be built in Cornwall and up to five new community-based custodial units, each accommodating around about 20 women at locations across Scotland. The first two community-based custodial units will be located in Glasgow and Dundee. SPS is working towards a timescale of opening the first CCUs by December 2020 in the national facility by summer 2021. The custodial arrangements for women from the north of Scotland will remain as they are at present. That means that whenever possible, women sentenced or remanded by a court in the north of Scotland will be located with an HMP at NYOI Grampian, which offers a range of interventions and services specifically designed for women. Rhoda Grant I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer, but is he aware of the incredibly long distances that families from the Highlands and Islands have to travel to visit people located in Aberdeen, and quite often in Glasgow as well, hundreds of miles away from home. That has a huge impact on children and the wider family. Around this time last year, the inspector for prisons in Scotland, David Strang, called for more suitable accommodation for female inmates. I believe that a community custody unit could be built at the new site for the Inverness prison or, indeed, sooner at another site in Inverness. Will the cabinet secretary make female accommodation in Inverness a priority? Can I say to Rhoda Grant that she should continue to have those conversations with SPS? I have mentioned that the first two community custody units have been decided upon and are progressing well in Glasgow, and, indeed, that does leave another three locations. I will not determine what those locations are, particularly because we want to wait to see the evidence from the first two and how they operate and where the next three can be located. I would ask Rhoda Grant to continue to have those conversations. It is a difficult issue. It is fair to say that the numbers are very low in terms of those coming from Inverness and the north of Scotland, around about 13 hours to the last count. Of those 13, the women are at different stages in their journey along imprisonment. It is not as simple as building a CCU, which is for women on a particular point in their journey. There are complex cases that I know that Rhoda Grant will appreciate, but I suggest to her that she continues to have the conversations with SPS around the CCUs. In the meantime, what we will do is continue to invest in technology, which, of course, I would appreciate as not a replacement for those direct contact visits, but can certainly help to bring families closer and help offenders on their rehabilitation journey. Yes, now people have to be brief from now on. Please, very briefly, Liam McArthur, followed by Edwin Mountain. Thank you very much. The cabinet secretary told me that two of the five community custody units would be completed by 2020, and the other three would be quote dependent on a number of factors. While he can't perhaps confirm the location of the other three units, can he at least give Parliament an indication of the timeline for making those decisions? To Liam McArthur, the approach that we are taking is a very evidence-based approach. We want to see how the first two community custody units operate, how successful they are and the impact that they have. It is only sensible to use that information to determine where the next CCUs are and where the next CCUs are. We will also have an impact on the timescales, because it takes time for planning, acquiring a site and so on and so forth. If you have given me, I will not necessarily nail myself to an exact timescale other than to say that, as I said in a previous answer, that this is a priority for us. Associated with that, we want to make sure that we continue to reduce the number of women who are having to go into prison. His support for the presumption against short sentences is very welcome, and I am delighted that we are progressing at that particular policy. Edward Mountain now, please. With more than 200 prisoners from the Highlands being accommodated outwith the Highlands, I am told that that is bad for their rehabilitation. Does the cabinet secretary agree? Of course, there is a whole host of reasons and a raft of reasons of why people are sent to particular prisons, but on the general premise, having people closer to their families and their communities is better for their rehabilitation. I do not argue with that. I hope that he understands that there are nuances to why we have HMP Highlands replacement for Inverness in the infrastructure plan and where it is. Those things are always reviewed depending on need in HMP Balini after the female custodial units is very much where the need is, but I do not disagree with what he says about rehabilitation and the closeness to family and community, and I will endeavour to keep Edward Mountain up to date on progress of HMP Highlands. Question 7, Adam Tomkins. To ask the Scottish Government when the justice secretary last met the Scottish Recovery Consortium to discuss the provision of addiction recovery services across the prison estate. Cabinet secretary. I'll ask this to HMB Balini where SRC has a recovery cafe on 31 October 2018. The Minister for Public Health, wellbeing and sport is due to meet with the Scottish Recovery Consortium next month, on 10 July, this year to discuss the work of that organisation in general and the issue of their work with the Scottish Prison Service to coordinate recovery development within the prison estate will also be discussed at the meeting next month. Adam Tomkins. I think that the cabinet secretary and I agree on the importance of recovery cafes in prison and we corresponded about this earlier this year with regard to the recovery cafe at HMP Balini, which unfortunately has closed down due to a lack of funding. When the cabinet secretary wrote to me on 21 May about that matter, he said that the Glasgow ADP would be considering a funding bid to reopen the recovery cafe in Balini. Could he provide Parliament with an update on the status and nature of that bid? My understanding is that they have not come to a final decision that they are still awaiting the decision on that. Of course, that is one for the Glasgow ADP. To make, he is right. We do have a shared appreciation for the work that is done and I think that it is worth putting on record the personal endeavour of Natalie McLean, who I know he has met in driving forward this work. If he forgives me, I will see if there is an update. When a decision is expected from the Glasgow ADP, of course that is not my decision to make. I am hoping that it is successful because I would not want to see recovery cafes having to close down. I think that they do do good work. As I said, I will try to get an update for the member. If he wants a further conversation with me after that, then of course my door is open to that. That has to be very brief, Daniel Johnson. Is it often struggle to register with the GP under mining their recovery? Can I ask the cabinet secretary what progress he is making on this issue, in particular in the trial in three local authority areas that is under way? I will write to the member in a bit more detail. We have had a very good conversation with the cabinet secretary for health who is looking at this issue. We think that we have some way forward. There are some complications, as we have discussed at the Justice Committee on previous occasions, but we are making progress on our right to the member, either myself or the cabinet secretary for health, to give him an update. We are certainly progressing the issue. To ask the Scottish Government what for its response to new analysis detailing the fall in serious violent crime in Scotland over the last decade. We very much welcome the recent report into the changing characteristics of serious violence in Scotland. That found that most of the fallen serious violence over the last decade is due to fewer cases in Glasgow in the west of Scotland, often involving younger males and the use of a weapon. Members will remember that it was not in too distant memory that Glasgow was named the murder capital of Europe. What we have achieved is now being looked upon as a role model attracting interest from London, the UK and the World Economic Forum. Despite that progress, research highlights that there is still much more that we need to do, particularly around repeat victimisation and to tackle violence wherever it persists. Serious violent crime is reduced by 44 per cent in eastern Bartonshire, the area that I represent. Does the cabinet secretary believe that those figures are more proof that the Scottish Government's evidence-based approach to justice and rehabilitation is working? Yes, I absolutely do. I think that we should not move away from that public health approach. It is fair to say that that was started by the previous administration, carried on very much by the current Scottish Government. I would hope that whatever the political make-up of this chamber and future parliaments that we continue to stick fast to that public health approach is a right approach. Clearly, it is working as well. Thank you. That concludes Portfolio question time. We have paused to allow for our benches to change before the next item of business.